Positive moods are rising in Europe

European markets are expected to open higher on Thursday morning after U.S. stocks saw their best performance in almost a decade on Wednesday.

A dramatic surge in U.S. stocks provided some relief to global markets overnight, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining more than 1,000 points in Wednesday's trading session. It came after a report from Mastercard said holiday sales had grown at their highest rate in six years, calming concerns about the U.S. economy.

Asian markets enjoyed a rally on Thursday on the back of Wall Street's success, with the Nikkei pulling out of bear market territory and surging 3.8 percent.

Back in Europe, France's Vinci Airports announced it will buy a majority stake in London Gatwick for $3.7 billion, and the Moscow Stock Exchange has said it will likely delay buying a stake in the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange until 2019.

Today will also see the U.S. Senate convene and possibly vote on a bill to end the partial government shutdown, which began on December 22 following a dispute between the White House and Democrats over the funding of a southern border wall.

Source: CNBC

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